Cornstalk pulverizer



Nov. 2s, 195o I '0. A. HOFFMAN 2,531,732:

CORNSTALK PULVERIZER Filed Sept. V9, 1949` v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fg' 7'Oswald A. Hoffman 82 INVENTOR. 80 9 4 84 BY ae esre` WWWMM Nov. 28, 1950O. A. HOFF MAN CORNSTALK PULVERIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept 9, f1949 Oswald A. Huffman INVENTOR.

WWW 5mm Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORNSTALKPULVERIZER Oswald A. Hoffman, Decatur, Ind.

Application September 9, 1949, Serial No. 114,889

This invention relates tc farm machinery, and more particularly to acorn stalk pulverizer adapted to process corn stalks in a field afterthe ear corn has been removed.

An object of this invention is to provide a vehicle attachment for atractor or the like, which will readily and efliciently pulverize theremaining corn stalks in a field after the ear corn has been removed.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a corn stalkpulverizer novel cutting and aying means which are actuated throughdriven means operated by a power take oi from the tractor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a corn stalkpulverizer which may be drawn by a tractor and which includes a powerdriven shaft having cutting and fiaying edges attached which when thetractor is driven forward will pulverize any growth over which thepulverzer passes, the flaying means yielding when solid objects such asstumps or rocks are encountered and passing over them while notdisturbing the efficient operation of the pulverizer. i

Other objects reside in the provision of a corn stalk pulverizer as avehicle attachment for a tractor or the like, which is strong, durable,and efficient in operation, relatively simple in construction andmanufacture, and easy to operate.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention,which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, areattained by this corn stalk pulverizer, a preferred embodiment of whichhas been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the corn stalk pulverizer, parts beingbroken away to show other parts more clearly;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View as taken along line3--3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as takenalong line 4--4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is anV enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along line 5 5in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective View, in an enlarged scale, of the severalelements comprising the rotating mechanism to which the flaying andcutting means are attached; and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of one of the hammers forming a cuttingmeans of the present invention.

1 Claim. (Cl. 55-118) With continued reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar partsthroughout the various views,

attention is rst directed to Figures 1 through 3 wherein numeral I0generally designates the corn stalk pulverizer comprising the presentinvention. A pair of spaced parallel frame members |2 and I4 areprovided and preferably are of channelshape. These are joined togetherby transverse frame member I6 also of channel-shape. A pair of angularlydisposed forwardly converging braces |8 and 20 are provided, and theseare joined in such a manner as to leave an aperture through which asuitable draw bar 22 may extend.

Upon the transverse frame member |6 is bolted a gear boX 24. A worm gear26 is journaled in this gear box and the worm is connected throughcoupling 28 to shaft 30, and thence through uni- .versal coupling 32 toa prime mover 34 on the tractor. A gear on the shaft 36 engages the wormwithin the gear box. The shaft 36 is journaled to the frame member I4 bymeans of clamp 38 and bolts 40. On the shaft 36 is mounted a suitablesprocket wheel 42.

Journaled to the frame members by means of a hood is a transverse shaft44. The hood consists of parallel side portions 46 and 48, and anarcuate cover plate 50 which abuts the frame at its forward end as at 52and is supported by suitable braces 54 at its other end in a manner tobe henceforth disclosed. A suitable number of knife blades 56 formingcutting edges are secured to the inner surface of the hood.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 6 it will be seen thata plurality of disks such as 58, 60 and 62 are secured to the shaft 44.In an annularly spaced manner, angle bars 64 are attached to the disksby means of angle brackets 66. A pair of end disks 68 are used torigidify the structure of the shaft 441.

Each of the angle members 64 are provided with a plurality of apertures'I0 therethrough to which chains I2 are attached by suitable shackles.To the free ends of the chains I2 are attached hammers 'I4 by means ofbolts 16. As best shown in Figures 3 and '7, each of the hammers 'I4have a pair of apertures 'I8 and 80 therethrough, and a plurality ofoffset cutting edges such as shown at 82, 84, 86, and 88. The bar or rodis used to join pairs of hammers 'I4 together as is shown in Figure 4using bolts 92.

Between parallel frame extensions 94 and 06 bolted as at 98 and |00 tothe frame members I2 and I4 respectively, is an axle |02 fon whichwheels |04 and |06 are mounted.

While the shaft 44 has been shown and described as :being journaledthrough the parallel side members 46 and 48 of the hood, the shaft maysuitably be journaled throughvthe frame members I2 and I4 or an upwardlyextending extension thereof. A sprocket wheel |08 is attached to theshaft and is in alignment with the sprocket wheel 42 on shaft 36. Anendless chain IIB is used to transmit motion between the sprocket 42 andthe sprocket |08. l Thus it can be seen that as the prime mover 34rotates the shaft 30 through universal coupling 32 the worm 26 isrotated which engages the gear on the shaft 36, which rotates shaft 36thus rotating wheel 42. By means of chain H0, the wheel |08 is thenrotated which in turn rotates shaft 44 and imparts a clock-wise rotationas is shown in Figure 3, to the pulverizing means comprising the chainsand the hammers.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 5, the extensions 96 and 94 overlie thevframe members I4 'and I2 respectively which permit a pair of stand-Vards as at IIZ to be secured to the frame vmembers.

A chain is then secured to the extension as at 'I-24 and may beadjustably vengaged. within the standards E22 to determine the-relativeangular position of the extensions relative to the frame members.lThusly, the height ofthe hammers 14 above the ground may be readilyadjusted against the wheels l04'and I06 musttouch the ground and the bari522 is attached to the tractor at a given height.

will easily pass over the lhard object without ldela-,ying theoperationof the pulverizer. Ational advantage is also present over the blade orknife corn stalk cutter in that, where the ordinary cutter merely cutsthe stalk into pieces, the pulverizenof the present Yinvention swing thesteel ays against the ground and 'cutnand vpulverize the corn stalksuiciently to Ykill any "corn borer moth which may be present.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this cornstalk pulverizer are readily apparent, further description is believedto be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specificationand accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention tothe precise embodiment of pulverizer shown and described, but allsuitable modifications and equivalents in construction and function maybe resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claim.

kHaving ldescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is: Y

A cornstalk pulverizer comprising a frame, a shaft journaled to saidframe, a plurality of spaced disks attached to said shaft, a pluralityof annularly spaced cross-bars secured to said disks, a plurality ofchains secured to said crossbars, hammers having a plurality of cuttingedges thereon secured to said chains, and rods vpositioned between pairsof hammers, and each rod being secured to a pair of hammers, each ofsaid hammers having a rlbody portion, a series of offset portionsextending from said body portion and forming said plurality of cuttingedges, `a plurality of apertures in said body portion,

said chains being secured to said body'portion through one of saidapertures, the other aperture being adapted-to receive a cross yrodconnecting said hammer with another hammer.

OSVV'ALD A. HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,056 lShubert et a1. Aug. 6,1912 v1,263,965 Twitchell Apr. 23, 1918 1,505,572 McDonald Aug. 19, 19241,552,750 Lain Sept. 8, 1925 2,506,054 Agee et al May 2, 1950

